Senate Bill 854 would create the “Academic Quality in Public Education Act” and impose a set of minimum operating and performance standards on public schools in West Virginia. The bill requires public schools to maintain a 180-day instructional year with an average of five hours of instruction per day, keep attendance and immunization records, comply with fire, health, safety, and bus safety requirements, and maintain a school-specific crisis response plan. It also requires each public school to administer a nationally normed standardized achievement test each year, with results shared with parents or guardians and the school’s composite results reported to the State Superintendent.
The bill further directs schools to establish curriculum objectives and instructional programs aimed at developing “literate citizens.” Most notably, it creates a performance threshold tied to standardized test results: if a school’s composite results fall below the 40th percentile in a single year, the school must begin a remedial program; if results remain below that level for two consecutive years, attendance at the school would no longer satisfy compulsory attendance requirements, and students would be considered delinquent under the attendance law.
Impact
SB 854 would amend the West Virginia Code by adding a new article to Chapter 18, creating new statutory requirements for public schools and linking school attendance compliance to academic performance. It would affect school administrators, students, parents, and the State Superintendent by mandating annual testing, disclosure of results, and remedial action for low-performing schools. The bill also appears to create a legal consequence for schools that fail to meet the performance benchmark, potentially altering how compulsory attendance laws are applied to students enrolled in those schools.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the limited available legislative context, the bill appears to be framed as a school accountability and quality measure rather than a controversial procedural change. There are no recorded committee transcripts or votes in the provided materials, so no direct evidence of support or opposition is available. The bill’s structure suggests an emphasis on academic standards, parental transparency, and school performance oversight.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the bill’s use of standardized test performance as a condition for whether attendance at a public school satisfies compulsory attendance requirements. That provision could be viewed as punitive toward schools and students, especially because it ties a school’s academic results to student delinquency status. Another likely issue is the bill’s requirement that public schools meet standards comparable to private, parochial, or religious schools, which may raise concerns about feasibility, equity, and local control. Supporters would likely emphasize accountability, transparency, and minimum quality standards, while opponents may object to the consequences for low-performing schools and the reliance on a single percentile benchmark.
Supplementing and amending appropriations to the Higher Education Policy Commission, Higher Education Policy Commission – Administration – Control Account
Making a supplementary appropriation to the Department of Human Services, Bureau for Medical Services – Policy and Programming and State Board of Education – State Department of Education